Edge-trimmer.



T. CORROW.

EDGE TRIMMER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27, 1914.

1 184,324. I Patented May 23, 1916.

Witnesses.

Thomas sorrow,

. I yWkW May/WM Ait s THE coLUMmA PLANOGRAPH cm. WASHINGTON, D. 1

THOMAS COBROW', F SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS.

ED GE-TRIMMER.

Application filed April 27, 1914.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Connow, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Edge-Trimmers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a speclfication, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to edge trimmers for trimming the edges of lawns, paths and similar places, andhasfor its object to provide a novel edge trimmer in which the relatively fixed and movable cutting blades operate in a vertical plane,'and in which said blades can be adjusted in a vertical direction so that they will out either above or below the surface on which the driving wheel is rotated.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated herein a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of an edge cutter embodying my invention adjusted so that the blades operate entirely above the plane on which the driving wheel rotates; Fig. 2 shows the edge cutter adj usted so that the cutting blades will operate below the plane on which the driving wheel rotates; Fig. 3 is a plan View of Fig. 2

The cutting elements of my edge cutter comprise a relatively fixed member 1 and a movable member 2, both of said members having a plurality of teeth or blades 3 and 1 provided with shearing edges. The movable member 2 will preferably be pivoted to the fixed member 1 in any suitable way as by means of a pivotal connection 5 and means are provided for oscillating the member 2 about its pivot, such relative movement between the members 1 and 2 operating to give the blades 3 and 4f the requisite cutting movement. The relatively fixed member 1 is secured to a frame or support 6 which has a handle 7 extending therefrom by which the device is operated, and the movable blade 2 is given its vibratory movement by means of a driving wheel 8 which is j ournaled in the frame 6 and which is provided with a cam adapted to act on the arm 9 of the member 2. The frame 6 is shown as forked and the driving wheel 8 is located between the arms 10 0f the fork and is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916. Serial No. 834,609.

mounted for rotation upon a shaft 11 sustained in said arms.

In the present embodiment of my invention the cutting elements 1 and 2 are situated at one end of the driving wheel 8, are arranged in a vertical plane, and the driving wheel 8 is provided with means to vibrate the member 2. The relatively fixed cutting member 1 is herein shown as pro vided.- with an extension 14 which overlies the end of the driving member 8 and through which the shaft 11 extends, the end of'the extension 1 1 overlying an arm 15 formed on the frame 6 and being clamped thereto by means of a clamping screw 16. With this construction the relatively-fixed member 1 is secured to the frame 6 by the clamping screw 16 and shaft 11, and is thus .held in a vertical position.

While any suitable means for operating the member 2 may be provided, I have herein shown for the purpose a cam carried by the driving member 8 at the end thereof and which cotiperates with a roll 13 carried by an arm 9 extending from the member 2. This cam is shown as a cam groove 12 which is provided with the parti-circular exterior walls 17 and the parti-circular interior walls 18, these walls being arranged to form a cam groove of the shape best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. With this construction it will be observed that the rotation of the driving wheel 8 will vibrate the member 2,

thus effecting the desired shearing opera- T tion.

The cutting members 1 and 2 are preferably yieldingly held together, this being herein accomplished by making the pivotal stud 5 which is anchored in the member 1 somewhat elongated and employing a spring 180 thereon which is confined between the member 2 and the adjustable thumb-nut 19 and which yieldingly holds the two members 1 and 2 pressed together.

As stated'above my invention is of such a nature that the cutting blades can be adjusted vertically so as to permit them to operate entirely above the surface on which the driving wheel 8 rotates or to operate be- 1 low said surface. This is provided for by pivotally mounting the member 1 on the shaft 11 and making said member of special shape so that its pivotal point is nearer one edge than the other thereof. As shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 the fixed member 1 is so constructed that the extension 14 is adthe driving wheel 8 rotates.

jacent one edge thereof, and as the shaft 11 extends through this extension 1, said shaft will be located at one side of the longitudinal central line of the member. The frame 6 is provided with two oppositely-disposed arms 15, 15 as shown in Fig. 1 and by loosening the clamping screw 16 the member 1 can be swung about its pivot 11 to bring the extension into overlapping relation with either of the arms 15, 15. WVhen the parts are adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1, the cutting blades are located entirely above the level of the surface on which the driving wheel 8 rests, and the fingers 3 and a of the blades project horizontally substantially parallel with the surface of the ground. lVhen it is desired to adjust the parts so that the edge will out below the surface on which the roller 8 is operating, the clamping screw 16 is released, and the member 1 is swung about its pivot to bring the extension 1 1 into engagement with the arm 15, and is then clamped to said arm by the clamping screw 16. The device is then turned over into the position shown in Fig. 2, and when in this position the lower edge of the cutting member extends below the surface 21 on which In both positions the blades or fingers 3 and t extend horizontally and in position to do the most effective work.

The adjustment shown in Fig. 2 is employed when it is desired to out along the edge of a sunken path, for by running the driving wheel 8 along the surface of the lawn adjacent the edge of the path the lower edge of the cutting elements will drop below the surface of the lawn and will trim the grass at the edge of the path. In both adj usted positions of my device the fingers extend horizontally and thus will readily enter the grass to be out without bending it over.

I claim:

1. In an edge trimmer, the combination with a frame, of a driving wheel journaled therein, vertically-arranged relatively-fixed and movable cutting elements, the relativelyfixed element being pivoted to the frame at a point which is nearer one edge of said element than the other, and the relatively-movable element being pivotally mounted on said fixed element, said relatively-fixed element being movable about its pivotal connection with the frame to place the cutting elements in different positions vertically relative to the frame, means for holding the relatively-fixed element in its adjusted position, and means for actuating said relatively-movable cutting element from the driving wheel.

2. In an edge trimmer, the combination with a frame, of a driving wheel journaled therein, relatively-fixed and movable cutting elements pivoted together and provided with shearing teeth, means connecting said elements to the frame in a vertical position and by which they may be adjusted into two different vertical positions relative to the frame and with the shearing teeth extend.- ing horizontally in both positions, "and means for actuating the relatively-movable cutting element from the driving wheel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS CORROW.

Witnesses LOUIS C. SMITH, Anon G. NIXON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

